Osprey program could face congressional delay

A U.S. senator from Wisconsin wants to ground the MV-22 Osprey
program for a year until "potentially serious" flaws in the
experimental tilt-rotor military transport can be addressed by
contractors and the Marine Corps.

Sen. Russell Feingold, a Democrat, proposed the "Osprey Safety,
Performance and Reliability Act of 2001" to the Senate on
Wednesday.

The measure was referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee
and to the Senate Budget Committee, a decision that will open up
the controversial aviation program to the scrutiny of Congress'
budget decision-makers, instead of the Senate Armed Services
Committee.

Marine Corps officials have said they are counting on buying the
MV-22 Osprey to replace their fleet of aging CH-46E and CH-53D
medium-lift helicopters. At least seven squadrons could be based on
the West Coast, possibly at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base or
Miramar Marine Corps Air Station.

But the $40 billion program has been hit with strong opposition
following two crashes last year, including one that killed 14 Camp
Pendleton-based Marines and one serviceman from Miramar.

Last month, allegations of doctored maintenance records at the
Osprey training squadron in North Carolina prompted service
officials to order an investigation by the inspector general.

"We cannot, in good conscience, move forward with the full-scale
procurement of the MV-22 until these allegations have been
investigated fully and until these questions have been answered,"
Feingold said in a statement on the Senate floor. "We should not
move forward with the procurement of this aircraft until further
testing has been done to address potentially serious design flaws
that could continue to endanger the lives of our military
personnel."

The latest Osprey crash occurred about the time when Marine and
Navy officials expected to receive an OK from the Department of
Defense to begin so-called "full-rate" production of the
experimental troop transport that takes off and lands like a
helicopter but which flies like a turbo-prop.

The investigative report into the crash hasn't been released
yet, a Marine spokesman said Thursday.

Capt. Pete Mitchell, a Marine Corps spokesman at the Pentagon,
said officials wouldn't comment on the Feingold bill or any pending
legislation.

"Our No. 1 concern always has been the safety and welfare of our
Marines," Mitchell said. "The Marine Corps will await the results
of the (blue ribbon) review panel and ongoing investigations before
we decide how to proceed."

The Osprey is being developed and built by Boeing Co., based in
Ridley Park, Pa., and Bell Helicopter Textron of Fort Worth, Texas.
The tilt-rotor team and congressional supporters have touted the
program's national reach, since parts of the aircraft are being
manufactured in some 40 states.

The Air Force has been testing the special operations variant of
the Osprey, the CV-22, at Edwards Air Force Base northeast of Los
Angeles. The Air Force plans to buy 50 CV-22s.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., a member of the appropriations
committee and a new member of its defense appropriations panel,
said through an aide that she began reviewing the proposed
legislation Thursday.